现在的人和以前大不相同。以前的人道心十分，现在的人才一分。

People nowadays are not devoted to the way to Buddhahood as those of the old days. If the latter were one hundred percent devoted to practice, the former are only ten.

 

修行要怎样才能心安? 就是要对境无心，动静无罣碍。但如何是心? 真心本无所住，真如又遍一切处，所以到哪里找心? 有所执著的都不是我们的真心，是凡夫心、肉团心、缘虑心。

How do we practice with certitude, which means not fettered in any circumstances and remaining devoted no matter at rest or in action? But first, we have to understand the difference between the True Mind and the perceptive minds. The True Mind does not dwell on anything, but pervades all sense-fields. Where to find the True Mind? It is not the True Mind as long as it is attached to anything. The minds with attachments are either ordinary or physical minds that are defiled by karmic forces and secular apprehensions.

 

怕? 不怕就是安定，怕就是不安定！心里无主就会怕，是自己心生害怕，自己没有定力；怕多了必生烦恼，而心不安定就没有道心。

Are you having fear? If you are free of fear, you are having faith in the way to Buddhahood, you are having certain skills of Samadhi (concentration) and you are having peace in mind; otherwise, you are not. Fear springs up when we don’t have the determination. It also indicates that we are lack of Samadhi skills. Constant fear will cause a lot of vexations; and a restless mind will impede practice.

 

‘放下’并不是在口头上说说而已，必须从日常生活行、住、坐、卧当中去行，要一句佛号念得稳稳当当，无所罣碍，到临终时能正念现前，没有贪恋眷属的爱别离苦，这才叫放下。如果还存有一点爱著，那还是要生死轮回。要知道我们来到这娑婆世界，是带业来的。在这娑婆苦海中，应该赶快学佛修行，找出一条解脱生死的新路去走，不要再为贪享衣、食、住的舒适，更造新的恶业，以致仍落在生死轮回的旧路中。

"Let go of all attachments" is not just a slogan; we should carry it out in our daily activities, be it walking, staying, sitting, or sleeping. If we recite the name of the Buddha solemnly with an unfettered mind to the extent that right mindfulness comes forth to guide us when we die so that we don’t suffer from the pain of parting with loved ones, then we have genuinely "let go of all attachments". We should know that even an inkling of attachment is powerful enough to confine us to the cycle of births and deaths. We are all born into this world with boundless karmic obstructions accumulated in our previous lives. Instead of adding more negative karma through incessant pursuit of food, clothing, and housing, we should learn and practice Buddhadharma. Otherwise, we would still be trapped in the old path of rebirths.

 

------Translated from Analects of Master Kuang-chin（编译自《广钦老和尚开示录》）